MERSEYSIDE firms have lost thousands of pounds and been left without tickets to Saturday’s Grand National, after a hospitality firm went bust.

Corporate race-lovers, who paid up to £10,000 for exclusive private hospitality suites, have been left high and dry after Nationwide Sports Hospitality Ltd stopped trading.

Angry and confused race goers have been calling Aintree Racecourse – only to discover the course has no involvement with the company.

Craig Parry, of Aintree's Price Partnership Solicitors, said the company had chased the tickets last Friday, only to hear a recorded message from the company saying it was going into liquidation.

Mr Parry, an accounts manager, was planning to attend Saturday's big race day and was expecting a Champagne reception, silver service and parking to wow clients.

He said: “My boss booked the private suite for 30 people months ago, and paid the full balance back in February.

“We called the company last week to chase the tickets and they said they would be here by Friday.

“We then got an anonymous call saying the company had gone bust, and we rang and there's just a recorded message saying they've ceased trading.

“The company sells hospitality packages for major sporting events across the country, but when we contacted Aintree Racecourse they said they had no connection with the company and there was nothing they could do.”

He added: “I'm sure we're not the only people to have been ripped off, we're talking big money people will have paid for these packages.

“We were supposed to be taking our suppliers and clients who were looking forward to the event.

“We're lost potential business and we've been left with egg on our face.”